Swimming pool construction

ABSTRACT

A SWIMMING POOL CONSTRUCTION HAS AN OUTER SHELL DEFINED BY A PLURALITY OF METAL SECTIONS WHICH ARE SECURED TO EACH OTHER AND HAVE SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL WALLS DEFINING THE SWIMMING AREA OF THE POOL. EACH METAL SECTION INCLUDES A COPING SUPPORT EXTENDING OUTWARDLY OF THE SWIMMING AREA IN A HORIZONTAL DIRECTION FROM THE UPPER END OF EACH VERTICAL WALL, AND A COPING IS SECURED TO THE COPING SUPPORT ABOUT THE OUTER PERIPHERY OF THE SWIMMING AREA. TRANSVERSELY SPACED SOCKETS FOR RECEIVING ONE END OF TRANSVERSELY SPACED HANDRAILS OF A SWIMMING POOL LADDER ARE SECURED TO THE OUTER END OF THE COPING SUPPORT PRIOR TO THE FORMATION OF A CONCRETE DECK OR WALK AROUND THE OUTER PERIPHERY OF THE SWIMMING POOL. STRUCTURAL SUPPORTS ARE SECURED TO THE OUTER SHELL OF THE SWIMMING POOL TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THE CONCRETE DECK OR WALL. THE STRUCTURAL SUPPORTS EXTEND OUTWARDLY OF THE METAL SECTIONS OF THE POOL AND SUPPORT HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED, TOP ANGLE MEMBERS WHICH ARE DISPOSED OUTWARDLY OF THE COPING. THE COPING HAS A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL UPPER SURFACE WHICH IS IN HORIZONTAL ALIGNMENT WITH THE TOP OF THE TOP ANGLE MEMBERS. A CONCRETE FORM FOR THE DECK OR WALK IS DEFINED BETWEEN THE COPING, THE TOP OF THE ANGLE MEMBERS AND THE BACKFILL. THE UPPER HORIZONTAL SURFACE OF THE COPING AND THE TOP OF THE TOP ANGLE MEMBERS FORM HORIZONTAL, SPACED GUIDES FOR DECK SCREEDING PURPOSES.

[ June 28, 1974 United States Patent [191 Rozanski SWIMMING POOLCONSTRUCTION Inventor: Henry A. Rozanski, Box 127, R.D.

No. 2, Elizabethtown, Pa. 17022 Oct. 25, 1972 22 Filed:

mation of a concrete deck or walk around the outer Appl. No.: 300,658

- periphery of the swimming pool. Structural supports are secured to theouter shell of the swimming pool to provide support for the concretedeck or wall. The

[52] US. Cl. 4/172.l9

structural supports extend outwardly of the metal sections of the pooland support horizontally disposed, top angle members which are disposedoutwardly of the coping. The coping has a substantially horizontal uppersurface which is in horizontal alignment with the top of the top anglemembers. A concrete form for the deck or walk is defined between thecoping, the top of the angle members'and the backfill. The upperhorizontal surface of the coping andthe top of the top angle membersform horizontal, spaced guides for deck screeding purposes.

3H m w .maw Fmn 0... q dd B mfiwwmm m ,1 tha t 6 .1 x l a k uwte n 9 a 0nm 0 3 V n m Z .1 fl o s im 0H m. amwaw E4 rL T w ms I An m n m mm m mmmm mw n .I r mm w; H wmmmw mm mm mm m m m n l 8-] c yflw m .r. r h d W0ms n 0 m. mmw 1 m mm m u C 08 ammh d x n e .If. ind Ila M -f n myo wo IFWM mb dS a .I 0 II ll r lwd .wad n mm w mm [5. PA [Aficwmw from theupper end of each vertical wall, and a coping 7 Claims, 7 DrawingFigures PATENTEDJUNZB I874 3320 SHEU 3 BF 4 SWIMMING POOL CONSTRUCTIONBACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The inventionrelates to swimming pool constructions, and more specifically, to astructural arrangement for mounting the handrails of a pool ladder, andto a structural support assembly for supporting a concrete deck or walkdisposed about the periphery of the pool.

2. Description of the Prior Art Many swimming pools are constructed withladders to enable users of the pool to enter the pool, or exit from thepool in an easy manner. These ladders commonly have spaced handrailsbetween which the steps of the ladder are secured. One end of eachhandrail is normally secured to the inner wall of the swimming pool, andthe other end of each handrail is nonnally mounted within socketsdisposed in the concrete deck or walk formed about the" outer peripheryof the pool.

It is common practice to add the ladder to the swimming pool after theconcrete deck has been formed. This arrangement requires the accuratepositioning of the socket members within the concrete deck, suchthat-they will be in precise alignment for receiving ends of thehandrails. This has been a particularly difficult and time consumingoperation because of the difficulty of immobilizing the socket memberswithin the concrete while the concrete is setting. Even when the socketsare spaced in precise alignment for receiving theends of the handrailswhen the concrete is poured, some misalignment-can occur as a result offorces imposed on such sockets during the setting of the concrete deck.If the handrail receiving sockets shift position as a result of thesetting of the concrete, they will not be disposed to properly receivethe handrails. The misalignment of the sockets results in added costs toremove the sockets from the set concrete to patch the openings fromwhich the sockets were removed, and to reposition the sockets within theconcrete in proper position to receive the ends of the handrails.

Prior art pool constructions utilize structural support assemblies forsupport of concrete decks or walks formed about the outer periphery of aswimming pool. These structural support assemblies partially support theconcrete deck but were unable to prevent such deck from cracking as aresult of backfill settlement. In forming a concrete deck or walk on theprior art structural support assemblies, it has been common practice toutilize both the backfill and additional forms for confining theconcrete during the pouring and setting thereof. The use of separateforms is undesirable because it increases the costs of forming such aconcrete deck and the backfill had a tendency to settle, therebyencouraging concrete cracks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a unique arrangementfor mounting spaced handrails of a ladder utilized in swimming poolconstruction. Specifically, this invention relates to a unique mannerfor mounting handrail receiving socket members to receive one end ofspaced handrails of a ladder such that the sockets will not becomemisaligned with handrails during the formation and setting of a concretedeck or walk around the outer periphery of of the swimming pool. Thesockets for receiving one end of each handrail are firmly secured to themetal wall sections defining the outer periphery of the swimming pool,and are thereby prevented from shifting as a result of forcesimposedthereon during the formation and setting of the concrete deck. inthe preferred embodiment of the invention, a pair of sockets are mountedin proper spaced relationship to a separate channel member, and thischannel member is firmly secured by bolts, screws, or the like, to ahorozontal coping support forming a part of the metal wall sections ofthe swimming pool. The concrete decks can then be poured about the outerperiphery of the pool, and the forces imposed on the handrail receivingsockets will notresult in a shifting of said sockets.

This invention also relates to a unique structural support assembly forthe concrete deck or walk disposed about the outer periphery of theswimming pool to prevent said concretedeck from cracking as a result ofbackfill settlement. The structural support assembly of this inventionincludes a plurality of rods, channels, or the like, disposed outwardlyat, and secured to metal wall sections defining the swimming pool area.The structural support assemblycarries a top angle member outwardly ofthe vertical walls'defining the swimming pool. The metal sectionsdefining the outer shell of the swimming pool includev a coping supportextending outwardly at the swimming pool area and a coping is securedabout the periphery of the swimming pool to the upper surface of thiscoping support. The coping has an upper horizontal surface which is insubstantially horizontal alignment with the upper margin of the topangle. member. The coping, the structural support assembly, the backfilland the top angle member define the form for the concrete deck. Thestructural support assembly in conjunction with the backfill defines thebottom of this form. The sides of the form are defined by the coping andthe top angle member. The upper surface of the coping and the uppermargin of the top angle member are guides for screeding the concrete toform a concrete deck which is level with the upper surface of the copingand the top margin of the angle member. in this arrangement, there is noseparate form utilized in constructing the concrete deck and all'membersof the structural support assembly, and the top angle members are.retained in position in the completed swimming pool construction. It isnoteworthy that the concrete deck is carried entirely by the pool wallsand structural support assembly after the concrete has cured, therebyfreeing the deck from settlement prob lems should the backfill settle.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide animproved swimming pool construction of the type set forth.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novelswimming pool construction which includes permanent means to positionand secure sockets to receive the ends of swimming pool ladders therein.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novelswimming pool construction that incorporates a structural steel supportto carry a concrete or wooden pool deck.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novelswimming pool construction which includes means to support a pool deckfrom the pool wall structural members.

lt is another object of the present invention to provide a novelswimming pool construction which includes structural steel deck supportsandwhi'ch incorporates self-contained deck forms to permit pouring'aconcrete deck Without the need. for additional forms. It is anotherobject of the present invention to provide a novel swimming poolconstruction that is rugged in construction, inexpensive in manufactureand trouble free when in use.

Other objects and a fullerrunderstanding'of the inven-r tion will be hadby referring to the following description and claims of a preferredembodiment thereof, taken .in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawin'gswherein like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views and in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE. DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an isometric view of acomplete swimming pool construction according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of a portion of the swimming poolconstruction shown in FIG. 1, showing the structural framing details.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along line.3.-3

- of FIG. 2,-looking in the direction of the arrows and showing thebackfill, concrete deck and coping in place.

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a portion of the swimming poolconstruction shown in FIG. lshowing details of a modified type ofconstruction. 7

FIG. 5 is a cross section taken along line. 55 of FIG.

4, looking in the direction of thearrows and showing the concrete deck,backfill and coping. a 7

FIG. v6 is a partial top plan view showing the structural arrangement ofthis invention for mounting sud-1 v der, and partially broken away toexpose interiorconstruction details.

'FIG. 7 is an isometric viewofa portion of the swir nfl face 29 extendsaround the upper margin of the swimming pool 10 and is fastened to thehorizontally extending flanges 26 by bolts 30, or other suitablefastening. The swimming pool 10 has a plastic liner 32 with a thickenedperipheral top edge. 34. The thickened peripheral top edge 34 isreceived within an inwardly directed channel 36 which is formed in thecoping 28.

v The thickened peripheral edge 34 cooperates with an upstanding rib 38to firmly retain. the plastic liner 32 in proper position in accordancewith well established pool construction techniques.

The top horizontally extending flange 26 extends outwardly beyond thecoping. 28 andterminates in a downwardly extending. strengthening lip 40FIG. 3). A pair of sockets 42, 44 are spaced from each other and arefastened to a socket supporting channel member 46 in permanent-manner,such as by welding. The socket horizon-tally extending steps 56 aresecured. The sock ets 42and 44 are mounted on the socketsupport'ingchannel member 46 in precise location for receiving V the outer ends ofthe handrails 52, 54 which are disposed outside of the swimming area 13.The opposite, or inner ends of the handrails have flanges 59 securedthereto (only one of which is shown. in FIG. 5 )1 and these flanges aresecured to" the vertical wall'24 of a c I metaljsection l6'in theusualmanner. Themethodbf securing the inner ends of the handrailstothevertical wall ofa metal section does not form-a part of the presmingpoolcon'struction shown in FIG. 1., showing details of a secondmodifiedtypeiof construction. 5

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTOF THE INVENTION 'Referring toFIGS..I and2,;a swimming. poolcom struction A includes a swimming poolrowan aladder of the swimmingpool. The'swimming poolhasfan'outer shellformed by a plurality of wall sections 16. In the preferred embodiment,the sections 16 are made of metal such as steel; however, othermaterials having sufficient strength for the intended purpose of formingthe walls of the swimming pool 10 can be utilized in place of steel.Adjacent metal sections 16 are attached to each other by bolts 18, orother suitable fastening means which extend through aligned openings 20formed in the outwardly extending side flanges 22. If desired, the metalsections 16 can also be welded together in well-known manner. The innerwalls 24 of the metal sections 16 define the swimming pool area 12 ofthe pool. v

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a coping support is defined by ahorizontally extending flange 26 which extends outwardly of the swimmingarea 13 in a horizon tal direction-from the upper margin of the verticalpool walls 24. These flanges 26 are integrally formed with the verticalwalls 24. A coping 28 having an upper surcut invention, and othersuitable fastening techniques can be utilized. 7 f f, The sockets 4'2and 44 are firmly secured to the metal sections 16 prior to the pouringof the concrete. deck 1 V 14.. Since the sockets are 'firmly secured'tothe metal i Y sections 1 6, through the channel member 416, they :will

not become misalignedas a result of forces encounv A .tered during thepouringandisetting of the concrete" deck 14. According to thisinvention, theprecise positioning of handrail receiving socket means 42,4.4L isaccomplished in a simple, reliable and economical manner. Oncethe concrete deck 14 has set, the outer ends of the handrails can beinserted into the sockets 42, 44 and the inner ends of the handrails canbe secured to the vertical wall 2410f a metal section 16 to secure theladder 12 in position.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and.3, a structural support assembly 60 for theconcrete deck or walk 14 is illustrated including a plurality ofrearwardly' directed generally horizontal, upper bars 62 which arepreferably of angle iron constructions. Each upper bar 62 is secured atits forward end to the rearwardly extending side flanges 22' of adjacentmetal wall sections 16 by bolts 18. These upper bars '62 outwardly carrythe top angle.

members 64 which'may be welded or bolted thereto. Each top angle member64 serves as a first screening guide and has an upper edge 66 which isbelow horizontal alignment with the upper surface 29 of the coping 28for deck sloping purposes, as hereinafter more fully described. Thesurface '29 forms a second screeding guide to aid in forming the deck 14when employed together with the first screeding guide.

Still referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, each upper bar 62 is connected andsupported at its remote end 86-by an angularly inclined bracing member88, which preferably is of angle iron construction. The bracing member88 connects between the upper support bar 62 at its upper end and thebottom of a side flange 22 to thereby transmit all stresses imposed uponthe upper support bar 62 directly upon the wall sections 16. Bolts 71,73 maybe employed for bracing member connection purposes or theconnections may be otherwise conventionally secured, such as by welding.A stake support block 74 is secured by the bolt 75 to a rearwardlyextending lower angle member 70 in substantially horizontal alignmentwith the bottom surface 90 of the wall section bottom flange 94. It willbe appreciated that the pool site must be excavated to a depth equal tothe height of the ,wall

sections 16 during pool construction. Accordingly, by

positioning the stake support block in alignment with the bottom'flange94 of the wall sections, the support block will then rest upon virgin,unexcavated soil 92. A stake 76 is secured to each stake supportblock'74 for driving into the virgin soil 92.

A second angularly inclined bracing member 96 crosses the firstbracingmember 88 to form an xshaped configuration and has its lower end boltedor otherwise secured to"the outboard end of the lower angle member 70,such as by the bolt 72. It is noteworthy that the bracing members 88, 96are not interconnected in any manner and are therefore free to stressentirely independentlyof each other. The upper end of the bracing member96 secures to an upright side flange 22 in a bolted or other secureconnection. As illustrated, one of the side flange securing bolts 18 canalso be employed to secure the upper end 98 of the bracing member 96,andthe inward end 100 of the upper bar 62 in a unitary connection. Thus,all forces and stresses imposed upon the stake support block 74 arecarried back and are supported by the wall sections 16. Thus, allstresses in the construction which are either upwardly imposed at thepool deck 14 or downwardly imposed at the stake support block 74' aretransmitted to the pool wall sections 16 by the bracing members 88, 96,the upper bars 62 and the lower angle members 70. After the structuralmembers havebeen properly positioned and secured as illustrated, theexcavated area can be restored with backfill 82 in the usual mannercomplete from the top of the virgin soil 92 to the top surface 102 ofthe upper bars 62.

. ln'the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, in the structuralsupport assembly 60. each upper bar 62 connects at its respective remoteends to the upper ends 104, 106 of the bracing members 58, 68,respectively. The respective lower ends 108,110 of bracing members 58,68 which are remote from upper bars 62 are secured to each other and toa rearwardly extending lower angle member 70 by a bolt 72 or othersuitable fastening means such as spot welding. A stake support block 74is secured by the bolt 72 to the bracing members 58, 68 and the lowerangle member 70. A stake 76 is secured to each stake support block 74and is driven into virgin soil which is not subject to any ap- In theembodiment illustrated in FIG. 7, in the modified structural assembly60", each upper bar 62 connects at its respective remote end 86 to theupper end of the bracing member 88. The inward end 100 of the upper bar62 terminates inwardly in an upwardly turned flange 112 which isfastened to the strengthening lip 40 of the wall flange 26 in a securemanner such as by a bolt. Preferably the lip 40 is provided with aplurality of longitudinally spaced openings 116 to facilitate attachingthe structural assemblies 60 at any desired location. Similarly, thestrengthening lip 118 of the bottom walls section flange 94 is providedwith a plurality of longitudinally spaced openings 120 which arevertically aligned below the openings 116. The inward ends 122, 124 ofthe bracing member 88 and the lower angle member 70 are each flanged orotherwisetreated to facilitate connection'to the lip openings 120 insuitable manner, such as by employing bolts. If desired, reinforcingbars 84 may be positioned into and secured to ploying the coping28, thetop angle member 64 and preciable settlement. Backfill 82 is then placedon the top of the upper bars 62.

the backfill 82 as a form as hereinbefore set forth, the concrete isallowed to cure a sufficient length of time to develop full strength. Atthat time, the entire weight of the deck 14 will be carried by thestructural support assembly 60, 60. 60" and pool wall sections 16entirely independent of the backfill 82. It is the purpose of thisinvention to provide a combination wall section 16 and structuralsupport assembly 60, 60, 60" of sufficient strength to carry the entireweight of the poured concrete deck 14 and any reinforcing members 84, ifused. Thus, should the backfill 82 settle after the pool 10 has been inuse for a period of time, there will be no tendency for the deck 14 tocrack inasmuch as it is not dependent upon the'backfill for support. Byproviding a swimming pool and deck construction that is entirely self.supporting, most of the structural difficulties encountered by priorworkers can be overcome.

Although I have described the present invention with reference 'to theparticular embodiments therein set forth, it is understood that thepresent disclosure has been made only by way of example and thatnumerous changes in the details of construction may be resorted towithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, thescope of the invention should not be limited by the foregoingspecification, but rather only by the scope of the claims appendedhereto.

I claim:

1. in a swimming pool construction;

A. a swimming pool shell defining an inner swimming area, said shellhaving a top and a bottom;

B. a coping secured to said swimming pool shell top adjacent theperiphery thereof. said coping having an upper surface;

C. structural support means disposed outwardly of said swimming poolshell for supporting a concrete deck about the outer periphery of saidswimming pool shell;

D. a first screeding guide serves as a form for a concrete deck and issecured to said structural support means outwardly of said coping, saidfirst screeding guide having an upper edge and the said upper horizontalsurface of said coping forming second screeding guide, said copingserving as a form for a concrete deck;

aconcrete deck disposed over said structural support means and between?said coping and said first screeding guide, said concrete deck having anupper surfacecwhich is in substantial alignment with'the' upper edge ofsaid first screedingg'uide and the upper horizontal surface of saidcoping. 2. The swimming pool construction according to claim 1 whereinsaid structuralsupport means includes,

structural support members secured to the swimming" 7 pool shell.

7 y The swimming pool construction according to' claim 2 wherein saidstructural'support means includes upper bars having an inward end, aremote end and a top surface and means for securingsaid first screedingguide to saidupper bars, said structural support means and said swimmingpool shell cooperating to carry the V entire weight of the said concretedeck:

4. The swimming pool construction according to claim 3 wherein eachupper barisoutwardly supported by an angularly inclined first bracingmembensaid bracing member being connected between the said remote endand the said bottom of the swimming pool shell.

5. The invention of claim 4, wherein the structural support meansincludes a bottom positionedastake support block, said stakesupportblock beingspaced from the shell by a lower angle member, saidlower angle member having an inward end and and outboard end,

said stake'support block being supported: by a second bracing member,said second bracing member being angularly inclined andtbeing connectedbetween the top of the shell and the outboard end of the lowerang'le 7member.

will not be transmitted to the second, bracing member. 7

7. The invention of claim 6- wherein said swimming pool shell terminatesupwardly in a horizontaLoutwardly' extending toptflange and downwardlyin ahorizontal, outwardly extending top flange; said top and bottomflanges terminating outwardlyinstrengthening lips,the'saidlips beingprovided with a'plurality of iongitudinally spaced top and bottomopenings, the inward endsof the upper bars being" connected to the topflange at the top openings thereof, the said first bracing members beingconnected to the bottom of the swim ming pool shell at the said bottomopenings and the saidlower angle members being connected to the bottomof the swimming pool shelleat the said bottom openings.

* I! I. l

